Trainer Gordon Elliott registered a 34/1 double in the first two races on day three of the Cheltenham Festival following Delta Work's nose success over stable companion Glenloe.

Backed into 6/1 from 9/1, the five-year-old son of Network, ridden by Davy Russell, edged a titanic tussle with Glenloe (9/2 favourite), partnered by Barry Geraghty, up the Cheltenham hill to provide Elliott and owners Gigginstown House Stud with a quickfire double following Shattered Love's success in the G1 JLT Novices' Chase.

Elliott, registering his fifth victory of the week and 19th overall at The Festival, commented: "It has been great day and the horses are flying. I think Glenloe was a bit unlucky because he missed the last and, had he jumped it, he probably would have won.

"To have the first and second in a race like that is unbelievable. I am very lucky with the staff I have along with the owners and the horses.

"Tuesday I thought it was going to be one of them weeks. But to have five winners now - I can't believe it.

"It was a great ride by Davy but I trained both horses so I didn't care which way the photo went!

"The horses are rolling on nicely now so I'm delighted."

Winning owner Michael O'Leary said: "I thought that we had probably lost it on the bob of heads but at least it was Gordon one and two, so I think he was the one who was most relaxed about the outcome.

"Delta Work has improved and had a light weight, so he had a chance but he needed luck in running. Davy had him in a lovely position the whole way round - he was tracking in mid-division. I thought that he was cut out of it just after the last but he had enough horse under him to go again.

"It was a great finish with two master jockeys going hammer and tongs, a terrific finish. Davy is a master jockey and is terrific in these handicaps. He rides Cheltenham brilliantly and is worth a couple of pounds around here."

There was a 1-2 for trainer Gordon Elliott when Delta Work beat Glenloe (9/2 favourite) in a photo, by a nose.

Barry Geraghty, rider of the runner-up, believes there could be better to come from the seven-year-old.

"He is a big baby and just looked around - there's a lot to look at in Cheltenham," said Geraghty. "I was shoving him at the final flight but I knew that he wasn't looking, so I left him, he flicked over it and lost a bit of momentum. The winner battled really well and I wasn't getting past him. He ran a good race."

Third-placed Connetable may have been a 33/1 shot but his good run was not a total surprise to trainer Paul Nicholls.

"He could have just done with a bit of company in front and he ran a great race," said Nicholls. "He wasn't beaten far at Musselburgh two runs ago and Harry (Cobden) said we wouldn't be far away today. I thought we might need to go up a couple of pounds to get in today so I then ran him at Chepstow and he was terrible. He was never going and I don't know why. He's been a bit in and out.

"I don't know what we'll do now but I think he'll go back over fences next season. He's already won a chase and we could aim him at the Welsh National. He stays forever and likes this ground."

Harry Cobden, rider of Connetable, said: "He ran really well. We went a nice steady gallop all the way. I wanted to save a bit for the hill and he quickened up really well. He has run a blinder, pinged the last and really was only beaten by two better handicapped horses."

Tom Scudamore, jockey of fourth-placed Taj Badalandabad (40/1), said: "He ran a tremendous race. He will make a very nice chaser."